Submechanophobia is the fear of man-made machines that are fully or partially submerged in water.

I first learned of submechanophobia because I kept seeing the word pop up in the comment sections of YouTube’s Defunctland series, a favorite of mine. Finally, I Googled it, and discovered that not only does submechanophobia exist, it has its own subreddit. As of today, it boasts 328,446 subscribers, yours truly included.

Before I discovered Gone Wild Audio, I didn’t spend much time on Reddit. I had been warned that it could be a hostile, toxic place, and so aside from a few Game of Thrones rabbit holes, I stayed away.

It’s funny to remember this now that Reddit is, in a sense, my office, and it’s still where most my clients find me. It’s also funny that my first real introduction to Reddit was via the audio porn watering hole. I remember thinking how specific a place GWA was, attracting a specific kind of fan with a specific interest. And how interesting—almost touching—it was that a place existed where people who enjoyed a specific medium of porn, could come together (pun intended) and enjoy that medium. It provided a welcoming sense of community, and any strangeness or apprehension I felt upon joining, quickly dissipated.

My experience with Reddit has been largely positive, and I know this isn’t the case for everyone. Obviously, when I talk about subreddits, I’m not referring to any that encourage community through shared hatred or ignorance.  

Which brings us to r/submechanophobia: a decidedly not hateful, though somewhat bewildering place.

Surprisingly or not, this subreddit devoted to the fear of man-made objects underwater, is filled with pictures of man-made objects underwater. The eponymous phobia is on display for all users to observe, and arguably, to revel in.

I don’t think I’m a full-blown submechanophobic, though there have been nights when I’ve lain awake thinking about how after the Magic Kingdom closes, the hippos on the Jungle Cruise are still there. In the water. Turned off. It’s a queasy thought: unreal, uncanny, and somehow frightening, even though I’m not exactly sure why.

You can find pictures of underwater animatronics on r/submechanophobia, along with pictures of shipwrecks, submarines, rusted propellers, and statues on the ocean floor. Just to name a few. Under each picture: a litany of comments from self-proclaimed submechanophobics gushing about the image. It’s unsettling to them, but also compelling.

Since I discovered this subreddit over a year ago, I’ve been fascinated by it. If you’re afraid of something, it makes sense to seek out a community of people who share your phobia. But to gleefully take pleasure in the phobia with other people who share it, in a community, together? My admittedly warped brain can’t help but see the line between phobia and fetish start to blur.  

Why do we watch horror movies other than to experience fear in a safe and controlled environment? Anyone can be afraid of anything, and sometimes, when we have control over it, fear can be fun. Why do so many horror movies include images of scantily clad women, panting in ripped clothing, screaming or gasping in a way that feels borderline orgasmic?

I’m not breaking new ground when I point out the exploitative sexual nature of many horror films, even the ones that punish sex and reward virginity. If you’re watching a movie and a fictional character makes noises while being murdered that remind you of something else, and you happen to become aroused….you wouldn’t be the first. Emotions are high; you’re tense. You’re afraid. The call is coming from inside the house.

This doesn’t apply just to movies, either. The overwhelming popularity of True Crime, as a genre of entertainment invites similar speculation. Thrill-seeking, maybe? Dealing with fear by rolling around in it? What’s the point exactly?

Lust and fear are two sides of the same coin. They’re both involuntary responses to external stimuli. They both provoke shame, and invite secrecy. They work together. Sex can be scary, and fear can be thrilling.

While I doubt anyone is self-abusing to these pictures of underwater machinery—though I never like to assume—examining my fascination with r/submechanophobia keeps bringing me back to my initial fascination with Gone Wild Audio. Of course, the Internet is full of communities built by people who enjoy and celebrate the things they love together. But this isn’t love; this is fear. And reveling in fear creates a certain kind of glee. One that can feel unique. Maybe even the good kind of wrong.